DJ equipment, music news, art, and anything else related to the life of a dj.

Ok so being as how I’m sure most of you have quite the addiction to file sharing websites like zshare, I felt it was proper to share this new site called SoundCloud.com, which I think might change the game when it comes to sharing music.  Just watch the video and see for yourself.

Some of you may remember the famous “Sound Clash” beat battles that took place at a club called Root Down in Los Angeles some years back.  They were based on the old reggae sound system competitions, and featured some top notch producers.

The battles had been organized by DJ Dusk, who tragically passed away in 2006.  To commemorate his legacy a DVD of the battles was recently made available from the Stones Throw online store.

It’s definately worth watching!

Soundclash DVD

According to Billboard.com, Naughty By Nature, one of the most successful crossover hip-hop acts of the 90’s, and one of my personal favorites, has reportedly decided to reunite to record a new album, set to release sometime early 2009.  The group plans to release the album independently, which is tentatively titled “Anthem Inc”.

“We’re going to make universal party tracks with great hooks; street anthems, social and political anthems, anthems for the ladies.”

Click here for the full story.

The Brionvega Radiofonografio RR126, a record player considered to be groundbreaking at the time of its inception in 1965, designed by Pier Giacomo and Achille Castiglioni, has recently been reintroduced as the RR226.

The piece, known as the “musical component robot”, was considered a design classic, known for its versatility and its folding speakers, which could be positioned both at the side and on the top of the player.  In addition to the all of the original functionalities (radio, built-in amp, and dial controls), the player also includes CD and DVD players, effectively bringing it up to date with modern technology.

No word yet on when the player will become available for purchase, but hopefully soon.

[Brionvega via Coolhunter]

I had never seen this video I just came across that shows some of the hidden features within Serato.  Most of you guys had probably seen the feature that hides your track names, but I never knew you could play Pong!

As most mobile DJ’s know, the JBL EON portable loudspeaker series have been the dj speakers of choice for those looking for the perfect combination of good sound and affordability for the last decade. Well today JBL unveiled the next generation of the lightweight speakers, the EON500 series.

There are three models in the new EON product range. Each of the full-range EON500 series compact, lightweight models features an on-board mini-mixer with loop-thru or mix-out capability, allowing for greater control of the loudspeaker’s output. The EON500 series loudspeakers also offer selectable EQ, multiple suspension points, soft-grip handle and a full screened backed grille for extra component protection.

To check out the full spec sheets head on over to the JBL website.

As usual Q-Tip delivers with his new single “Move” from his upcoming album “The Renaissane” coming out on November 4th.

There’s nothing more annoying than slipping a record out of its sleeve, placing it on your turntable, and realizing it’s warped. Yeah there’s some home remedies for fixing a warped record, but for those of you too lazy for any of those shinanigans there’s the DFV-1 from Furutech.

The DFV-1 is a LP flattener that uses precision heating and cooling to basically iron your vinyl back into shape. Only downside…it’ll cost ya $1480.

[via Crave]

This is too funny!

As if the world needs any more “dj’s”, the rumors of a DJ video game similar to Guitar Hero/Rock band are sadly true. The game will be called Scratch: The Ultimate DJ, and is being developed by 7 Studios for Xbox 360 and PS3, with consultation from Quincy Jones III.

Instead of a guitar, players will use a turntable controller called the “scratch deck”, which was created by Numark. The game also sets itself apart from other music rhythm games by allowing players to “re-imagine songs on the fly and add their own creativity”, making the game a “dream come true for both casual music fans and serious DJs/producers”.

Well, as a “serious dj” this is far from a dream come true. While I am intrigued to see how the game works, I am hardly excited about how this will further dilute an important art form. Plus, i really don’t need any more noobs coming up to the booth asking me to scratch.

[Source]